Looks very light in the three-quarters - no Hardaker



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That's a blow, probably Bateman and Bibby centres then, I personally wouldn't have Isa anywhere near this fixture, last few times he's played against Saints he's completely lost it, going down to 12 men will be a disaster

No word on what is up with Hardaker yet, I didn’t notice anything on Sunday. The main issue with that is goal kicking but I suppose to worry about that we need to score some trys



I’d go-

Field
Halsall Bateman Bibby French
Cust Leuluai
Singleton Powell Byrne
Isa Farrell Smithies

Subs
Mago Partington Havard Shorrocks

Field can kick can't he? Can't see you going with Smith purely for his goalkicking.

If Field does kick I imagine he will be similar to Makinson kicking for us. We certainly miss Coote for his goalkicking if nothing else. Makinson can be very hit and miss.

He gave it a whirl in pre season.

We’ll just leave it at that

That's the same 17 I quickly knocked up in my head when I saw your squad. In case you're interested we are most likely as follows:

Welsby, Hopoate, Hurrell, Percival, Makinson, Lomax, Dodd, Walmsley, Roby, Lees, Batchelor, Wingfield, Knowles
Lussick, LMS, Paasi, Norman

I don't want to sound overly negative, but that's a bad starting pack imo.

It performs above its station & has potential, but i think a neutral would look at it, especially going into the derby, and think it's undercooked. Add in Partington and Shorrocks on the bench and where's the point of difference? Faz aside, where's what consensus would class as a top forward?

It’s a bit of an Adrian Lam pack but there’s not much else we can do. We’re shy of Ellis and Pearce Paul and the outside back absences mean we’re probably going to move a second rower to centre. The only other option would be to pair Miski and Halsall and I can’t see us going down that route.

It’s a bit deflating that Hardaker absence because it’s thrown up a few problems (who plays centre, who kicks goals and then what you do with the second row after shifting people around) but I still think the players will give it a fair crack.

I would like Peet to go with that but have a niggly feeling he’ll go with Miski instead of Halsall due to his carries out of our own half. If we are in the game after the first 25/30 minutes when rotations come on to it, we have a fair chance.

Obviously not ideal facing Sts with 5 players out who would be around the 17 but it’ll be competitive IMO.

As a side note, I’m interested in people’s thoughts on how you play this Saints team? I thought Catalans provided some blueprint in terms of getting at them out wide quickly but Saints were comfortable overall in the end.

Sod it, give Halsall and Miski a run, let's see what they can do under pressure, I just don't see the point of putting a 2nd rower in the centres unless you've absolutely no other option

Undoubtedly they'll give it a good crack. It's refreshing to say that after the Lam years, but also I'm sick of just giving it a go Vs them too. I want to win.

For me, it's partly down to bad squad management. We're looking at KPP & Bateman as better options than Halsall or Miski. Miski especially, is taking up a quota spot. If he's not ready, then why sign him? It's great talking about depth, but only when you can use it.

According to Wikipedia Miski has kicked 10 goals for Lebanon.